Apparatus for tempering and flexing soles and the like.



y G. BASLER. APPARATUS FOR TEMPERING AND FLEXING SOLES AND THB LIKE.

yAPPLIQA'I'ION FILED MAR. 15, 1912.

1,036,061 Patented Aug. 2o, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

G. BASLEM. APPARATUS FOB. TBMPERING AND PLEXING SOLES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.15,1912.

Patented Aug. 20, 1912.

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esoneri "nas'rian, or furnis, "irassltosarrffassroto'a bastan MACHINERY comm, or LYNN, nassacnusm'raga ooaronanoN oil-,Manin arrm'ru's son 'remnants am mme semis im mnmxn specification et Lettera Patenti Patented Aug. 20, 1912.

Application led latch 15, 1818. lIertal No. 684,088.

T o all whom it ma: concern.'

Be it known t at I, (leones Basnica, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Lynn, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Apparatus for Tem ring and Flexing Soles and the Like, o which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawin is a specification, like etters on the trawings representing like parts.

In the present day manufacture of shoes, one of the prime requirements is that the shoe. particularly the sole, be extremely flexible and adapted to yield and conform to the movement of the foot in walkin and my present invention has for its object to provide improved apparatus for tem-perin and then opening and stretching the stoc of the sole to make it pliable by flexing or working the sole, so that it becomes rmaueutly flexible and pliable. In my rior application, Ser. No. 059,780 filed ovember 11, 1911` I have shown and claimed an apparatus for this purpose wherein the soles or other stock to be rendered flexible are firstl treated with tempering fluid a plied in a manner to tliorou bly and even y impregnato the soles. andl then held strongly and evenly gripped between belts moving in unison which stretch and o n the ores of the inoistened stock by exing t e soles around ares of small radii to render them pliable. In said prior application I have claimed my improvements in the apparatus for stretching the stock and opening the pores thereof by flexing and working them in the manner described so that a relative play or give of the fibrous texture is brought about. ln the resent a plication, I have shown the same usic com mation and relative arrangement of the flexing means and the fluid applyin or impregnating means. and I am herein c aiming the combination of the fluid impregnating and flexing mechanism broadly and specifically, i. e., the present case contains broad combination claims which could have been made in said earlier application, but are not made therein because it is desired to protect in that case the flexing or pore-opening mechanism per se without reference to the fluid im regnating means which eoperates therewit to effect the tempering of the stock and rendering of the saine permanently pliable and .flexible along with the incidental, but important beneficial efl'ects of a'cleansing, bleaching and preserving of the grain side of the stock. The resent case is limited to broad claims for t e combination with such flexing and poreopening means of fluid inipre ating means arranged for cooperation 1n t e manner set forth to work up and render permanently pliable the stock after being treated to the tem ering liquid, the fluid impregnating means eing also viewed and claimed broadly to cover both s ecics thereof (of the two ap lications) an also specificall to cover t e particular species herein Vcon ained. By the term flexing as used in the present description and claims, I mean such a' bending of the leather stock relative to the thicknessthereof that. the fibers of one side thereof are stretched, worked and o ened in a manner to permit strikin in o the tempering fluid to the best a vantage the stock being preferably thereafter simi arly bent. in a reversed direction to further work u) the previously open fiber at the side ofl the stock thus stretched by closing and compressing` the same together, the other side of the steek being coincidently stretched and the fibers thereof loosened. The term flexing thus used therefore contemplates a bending of the stock about a curve of small radius relative to the thickness of the stock, such bend being a sharp or abrupt one and preferably taking place at a short interval after the treatment of the steek to the tem aering fluid. My improved apparatus provides for the application of the iinpiegnating fluid at one side only of the stock as it is fed throu h the machine in determinate aud limite( quantity, the application being in practice to the grainside of the leather and the principal and most important flexing action being one to stretch and loosen the fiber at this side of the stock. The tempering fluid is applied in such a manner that just enough is taken up by the leather to strike through the grain thoroughlyY without soaking the whole thickness of thc leather.

It is essential for the most successful results that the stock as it is flexed after the application of the tempering fluid, be held strongly and evenl gri ped and pressed over the whole euri/ace t ereof, this being important to prevent pufling up or wrinkling of the skin or surface layer of the leather, and also to insure by such even pressure upon the surface, even distribution of the, tempering Afluid over all parts of the surface of the stock so that spotting thereof due to uneven distribution ofthe tempering luid is prevented. The operation of tempering leather which has heretofore taken a relatively long time by dipping the leather in a tempering 'fluid and then laying it aside to work in and soften the stock of itself, is thus effected at oncev by the coperativc action of the flexing means with the fluid applying means and not only is the tempering operation finished very quickly,- but the mechanical flexing and working up of the stock impartsthereto a very much greater degree of permanent flexibility and pliable quality than it would have by the usual methodof tempering only.

- The present invention is in the nature of an improvement upon the apparatus shown in said application, and among its prime objects are .to provideimproved means for automatically controlling "the: sup ly of tempering fluidto the stoel: just be ore being flexed, and improved devices for effec-` tively applying the tempering fluid, preferably under pressure, so that a full supply thereof is always maintained, and thusii adequate impregnation ofthe soles therewith is insured, and at the same time, waste of the luid Ais avoided. My said prior application shows one'form of'means lfor applying tempering fluidv from a pressure supply arranged so that a -full supply of temperincr fluid is assured continuously, while the so es are fed past the tempering station, and in the present case wherein an improved form of means' for applying tempering fluid is shown, I am claiming this part of the l mechanism both broadly and specifically,

More particularly, the invention has to do with an improved construction of holder for the tempering`luid and with valve devices, automatically controlled by the passage of the solesto opera-tive position for turning on the supply of tempering fluid during the required period for treating each sole with a full supply vof the fluid as it passes the tempering station, and no longer.

The invention Will be better understood from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanyingr drawings, and will be thereafter pointed out in the appended claims.

.Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a side' elevation of a machine wherein my improvements are embodied; Fig. .2 is an elevationrpartly in section, showing a portion of the valve controlling mechanism; Fig. 3 1s longitudinal vertical section through my improved tank for supplying the tempermg fluid; Fig. 4 is a plan view thereof; F1g. 5 is a transverse-section through said tank; and Figf is a fragmentary sectional lpulse iof the upper belt.

view, showing a part of the connect-ion for automatiitallyn controlling the supply of tem ering fluid.

T- e general construction oflthedmachine is similar to `that of niyaforesaid application, and comprises a frame'lO having journaled therein a series of rollers, around 'which 'are'passed two tautI belts 11, 12 for feeding the soles to the tempering station, vand thereafter holding the soles `gripped between them as they arc bent around the flexing rolls. These belts at the forward end of the machine are passed around rollers 13, 14 respectively, spaced vapart to provide a're'ceiving mouth 15 to receivethe soles, this mouth converging to apointl,

where the`two belts arepressed together for feedingthe solesl forward by pressureexerted on the yupper one by the ro1l.17. Thence the soles are fed tothe tempering station 18 between the two belts, and just before reaching said station, the lower belt' is looped overrollers 19, 20, 21. around the receptacle for the tempering fluid, the top of this receptacle being in position so that the soles, as fed thereto by the tvwo belts, are moved thereover in contactlwith thereceptacle top by thepressure and tractive im- The roller 21- is in such position beyond the upper portion of the'tempering fluid receptacle. thatthe twol belts are brought together -thereover and again catch the soles after-they have passed over the receptacle and carry .them aroundl a lower lexing roller 22 to 'bend `them in one direction and thence over an upper flexing roller 23 in the opposite direction,` vso as to bend them reverscly.- Thence- .the-'lower belt 12 passes around roller 2-1, take-up rol] 24', rollers 25 and 2G back to the feeding mouth 15, and the/upper Vbelt passes ,around a tension roller 27 in position to keep the upper belt pressed. against the soles and the lower belt, this roller being pressed outward by a spring 28,

the tension of which determined by an adjusting backing 29, so that the belt is kept .under proper tension. Thence the upper belt passes around roller 30` and take-up roller 31, back over the roller 13 to the feeding mouth. The roller 14 of the lower belt is-shown as a. tension roller for tensioning the lower belt in like inanner'as the roller 27 does the upper belt, it being for this purpose" pressed outward by a spring 32 having an adjustable backing'.

these tensioning devices thebelts arekept strongly taut and thus they1 press strongly and evenly upon all parts of the leather stock surface as is is bent around the flexing rolls. 'Thus the soles, while held tightly and uni-- formly gripped between the belts and instl after they are treated to the tempering fiuid at the station 18, are tensioned and-stretched in a manner to open the pores thereof andl around the. lower flexing v,roller `-22 wh'ic especially opens the pores at the sideof the stock to whichthe tempering fluid was just previously applied, and thenv around the upser flexing roller 23 which further works an loosens up the fiber of the stockby bending it in the op osite direction. The soles are thus strot-che and rendered pcruiancntly iliable to a very marked degree by theeoin )ined and coperative tempering and stretching or pore openin treatment, so that a very much improve product results and soles of ordinary or common ades of leather attain a permanent flexibilit and pliability equal to or greater than tiat of nuieh higher priced stock without any ofi'- setting deterioration or injury of any kind. My invention provides means whereby the supply of tempering fluid is admitted to the rece taele of the tempering station 18 only whi e a sole is this purpose a ro ler 84 is journaled in slide blocks 35, guided in vertical bearings 86 of the frame, and normally pressed downward h v a coil spring.37 interposed between it and backing blocks 38, held in adjusted position b v screw bolts 39, threaded through the frame and engaged therewith. The slidin journal blocks 85 have fixed thereto rods 4 vertically slidable through the backing blocks 38 and with horizontal extensions 41 at their u per ends engaged from above by an extremity of lever 42, fulcrumed at 43 on the frame, and having its other end in pivotal connection with a link 44, which extends down through guides 45 for enga ement with the short end 46 of a lever ulerumed at 47, the longer arm 48 of which moves in guides 40 and is counterweighted, as at 50. The lever end 48 has link connection 51 with a lever arm 52, which is con neeted to operate a controllin valve 58 in a pipe connection 54 for supp ying tempering fluid under pressure to the tempering station from any suitable source of gravity or otherwise. A pipe connection 55 extends from the valve to the tempering station 18 and has a detachable connection 57 with an auxiliary tank 58 adapted to hold the tempering fluid. This auxiliary tank is of generally triangular cross section with an acute angle at its bottom conforming to the cross section of the exterior tank 59 and fitting against one side of the up er portion thereof as best seen in Fig. 5. he auxiliary tank 58 has a concave top 60 forming a trough into which the tempering fluid emptiesfrom the inside of the auxiliary tank through a passage 61, so that when the valve 58 is opened the tempering fluid fills the auxiliary tank 58 and flows through the passage 61 to till the shallow trough 60, and keep a continuous bubble of water at the top of the insanav the:

assing thereover, and forI t-iiak at vposition*A to te,4 contacted by the soles .fns;they are vfed thereover,v so that they 'arefthoroughly impregnated; with the fluid.

The trou h'portion GOImerge'sinto the side walls of t e auxiliary tank lLat either side in roundedfedl a8 shownpso-that the soles are adapte to` slide smoothly thereover. A block of, felt or like absorbent material 62 is secured at the'side -of the auxiliary tank from which the soles are delivered, the top of this felt piece extending slightly above. the top of` the auxiliary tank. This felt piece orblock isheld spaced away from the adjacent wall ofthe main tank 5t) by a s acing plate 63, of U-form, the sides of this p ate extending down to the bottoni of the main tank and coperatin to hold the parts in operative position. '1 is spacing plate is he d away fromthe wall of the main tank, so as to provide a water passage by adjusting screws 04 threaded therethrough and engaging the main tank wall. The auxiliary tank 58 is shown as held in the inain tank or receptacle by screw bolts 65 and may be readily taken out as required by removing these screw bolts.

e In operation, as a sole approaches the tempering station, it contacts with the roller 84 and resses the same upward against the spring 7, thus, through thc rods 40, lever 42, link 44, lever 48, and link 51, operating the valve 53 to admit the tempering fluid to the tank. The fluid thereupon flows through the assage 61 and makes u bubble over the slial ow trough 60 during the interval that the sole is passing thereover, the valve being operated to instantly shut ofi' the `flow of fluid as soon as the sole has completely passed under the roller 34, and thus been exposed over its entire surface to the bubble.

projected up from the trough 60. It. is to be observed that the surface of the sole, as it passes over the trough 60, is thus treated to all the fluid that it can absorb, this fluid being even forced into the sole under sonia little pressure, since the sole substantially closes the top of the trough as it passes thereover; thus the stock is thoroughly iinpregnated with the tempering fluid, and as it passes along, the felt block 62 fulfils the combined function of further promoting the even spreading of the fluid to every part of the sole, and wipes ofi' any superfluous fluid that may adhere to the solo surface bevond the iimount capable of being absorbed thereb v. Any excess liquid is caught b v the adjacent wall 59 of the outer tank and flows down between it and the spacing plato 68 to the lower portion of the main tank, where it may be drained oft' in any suitable manner.

My invention thus provides a tempering station formed and arranged to continuonslv deliver to the sole aa it is pissed tlieroover. the niaxiinuin quantity of inpering liquid to waste around Athe machine.

o .fpo'int lis` of importance,

" lthat it is capable of absorbing, by exposing A lsullicient to open the pores thereof, saidtwo it as it. moves to a body of 4the temper-iu .fliqind 'of'some little extentffwhich is force' n-itothe-stockby pressure" and. moving imwc "more thanthe' pr'o'perarniint :of tempering hfluid'lshall'remain 'on the stock',- and provides .'-againstan`y waste'iof the' .flud;. this latter l both onjl account of `-.the costfo the tempering liquid, wlien'spe- .cial` liquids' 'are employed, 'and'also on accolint of-:th'e nuisanciwhich would' 'be' creiated'slinld Athetempering liquid be'alloived f7 It is to be understoodi'that"the'present embodiment' f tlie invention,v wliile desir- -able-and efficient,` is'only'an illustratiye one,`

and that th'e in'yentio'n inv certain of its hroaderf aspects is capable of'being carried outfimotherfways', for example, by the form of-t'e'mper'ing'station shwn in my'afresaid prior application, on which, as well as ont-,he show-ing of the -present"case, vthe" l:)roader olaimsareinteiided tobe based. l

Hav'ing described my invention, whatl I claim' `as -ne'w and-desire to secure4 by Letters Patent-is:

l ll. Ari apparatus of' th'e kind described, comprising "a conveyer vsystem for leather stoekxpieces, means for applying' tempering.

means cooperative with a sulsequentport-ion of. said syst/enr for lflexing the pieces, said parts being 'arranged to 'hold 'the lpieces strongly' gripped with even pressure over all parts of lthe surfacethereon as the flex` ing occurs to complete the temperingl operation and render the`pieces permanently pliable.

-'2. An apparatus of the kind described, :comprising lneans for flexing leather stock for-med and arranged t,o strongly and evenly grip and press upon all parts ofthe stock su rfaee. and `cooperative meansarranged adjacent the path of the 4incoming stock to impregnate the' same `\\"ith tempering fluid before the flexing' thereof; wliereby said Hexing completes the' tempering operation and renders the leather'permanently pliable.

f 3. 'An apparatus of the kind described,l 1i coniprising' mechanism for flexing .leather stock to render 'the 'same ilexible, having provision for feeding the stock tothe flexingmeans, and means Afor evenly applying teur peiing fluid to .the stock as it is fed -to the flexing means, the lpartsbeing 'arranged to firstfimpregnate the stock with tempering fluid and then flex the stock to complete the tempering operation and render the .stock permanently pliable. 4. In an apparatus of the kind described, means for impregnating with tempering fluid one side' only of a leather piece, and

leather exing means to place the same side operat of vt-he leather piece locally underl tension means being coperatively arranged orcon- ]oirit..actionA one after the other on the vleather piece to complete the tempermgioperation and renden the leatherpermanently pliable.I "6. In an apparatus of the kind described,

, means for impregnating with tempering fluid one side only of theleather pieceiand'Ifleatli'er flexing means arranged for conjoint operation therewith, for immediately thereafter placing the same side of the leather piece locally under tension suflicientto open. the pores `thereof for completing the tempering .ion and rendering the leather-permanently pliable, saidflexing means being' formed topress strongly and evenly upon allparts .of the surface of t-he leatherpiece.

6. .In an apparatus of the kind described, means for nipregnating with tempering fluidone side only of the-leather piece, an flexing means arranged for coperation therewith to -locally stretch the moistened surface of the leather piece sufliciently to open the fpores thereof by bending the saine so as to place the-tempered surface under tension as the piece passes throughfthe machine, said means being arranged to press strongly and evenly upon all parts of-the tempered surface .as it is flexed.

7. In an apparatus of thekind described, meanstfer .impregnating Awith -teniperin'g fluid one side ofthe leather piece, and flex-- ing means arranged for cooperation there- 'with to locally stretch the moistened surface of the leather piece sufficiently to open the pores thereof by bending the same to place the ,moistened surface under tension, and thereafter relieve the said tension and re-- store the surface to normal plane condition as it passesl through the machine.

8. An apparatus of the kind described, comprising-a conveyer system adapted to engage and feed articles of the kind described arranged to expose one side of the soles in "a part of their travel, means for evenly7 applying tempering fluid to the side of the sole so exposed, and means coperative with asubsequent portion of the conveyer system for flexing the soles `about a curve of relatively small radius in a manner to stretch the same side of the soles, whereb the tenipering operation is completed an the soles rendered permanently pliable.

9. An apparatus of the'kind described, comprising an endless belt conveyor syst-em arranged to provide a receivi'n throat to engage and advance articles' ci le kind de scribed'and with provision -to press strongly and evenly upon all parts et the surface of the soles conveyed thereby, means for apply'4 ing tempering fluid to a side of the .soles as they are moved along, and means coperative with a subsequent portion of said conveyer system for flexing the soles about an izo Zit

arc bf s'mall'ira'dius while'beld strongly and evenly pressed between the belts of said conveyer system for the purpose stated.

l0. An apparatus of the kind described, comprising an endless belt conveyer system arranged to provide a receiving throat. to engage and advance articles of the kind described having provision to grip and press lstrongly upon all parts` of the surface of' soles conveyed thereby, means for applying tempt-ruig fluid to a side of the soles as they are mored along, and means coperative with the subsequent portion of said conve-yer .system for flexing the soles about arcs of small radii in reversed directions for the purpose stated.

11. An apparatus of the kind described', comprising a L'tation adapted to supply tempering fluid evenly to pieces of stock, means for feeding the stock pieces to and past said station, a pair of belts in position to receive the stock pieces after passing said tempering station, said belts having provisipn to be held strongly taut and to preSS firmly upon all parts of the stock surface, and means coperative with said belts for flexing pieces of stock clamped between the same about an are of' relative small radius to complete the tempering operation and render the stock permanently pliable.

I.. An apparatus of the kind described, t-puprising meansl for flexing leather stock to open the pores thereof having provision for feeding the articles thereto, and means adjacent the line of feed for applying tempering.r fluid to the stock, said means consisting in a fluid applying station having provision tor automatically supl'ilying a definite quantity of tempering fluid as the stock piece is moved thereto, and for stopping the Supply ol' temperingr fluid as the stock piece mores therefrom. said flexing means being coperatre with said fluid applying' means to complete the tempering' of the stock and render the same permanently pliable.

|35. An apparatus of the hindA described, comprising means for flexing leather stock to open the pores thereof having a definite line of' feed for articlesl to besupplied thereto, and a fluid applying station adjacent the line ot t'eed. haring a Isupply connection for tempering fluid automatically controllable h v the passage of the articles past the fluid applying station. said station having provision for applying definite quantities ot fluid evenly over the stock surface and cooperating with said flexing means to complete the tempering operation and render the stock permanently flexible.

14. An apparatus of the kind described, comprising means for flexing leather `stock to open the pores thereof at one side and render the same pliable, and means for applying tempering fluid to that side of the stock only which is opened and stretched, said means -consisting in a fluid applyin station having a supply of tempering fluiiiIv arranged to be automatically controlled by the passage of the piece of stock past the same, said flexing and fluid applying means heilig cooperative to complete the tempering operation and render the stock permanently flexible.

15. An apparatus of the kind described, comprising means for flexing leather stock having provision for feeding articles in a line thereof, and a fluid applyin station arranged adjacent the line o fee having connections for supplying tempering fluid under pressure, said connections being automatically operable by engagement with the .stock pieces as they are moved past the fluid applying station to supply tempering fluid in determinate quantity and to then close said supply, said fluid applying station and said flexing means` being arranged for ecoperation to-'coinplete the tempering operation'and to render the stock permanenti'y pliable. v

1G. An apparatus of the kind descr-ib comprising means for flexing leather sto it, said means having provision for receiving stock pieces in a continuous definite tine of feed, a fluid applying station arranged adjacent said line ot' feed, and means for autematically controlling the supply of tempering fluid thereto, couiprisiug a presser foot'. `vieldingly mounted for engagement by u stock piece as it approaches the fluid applying station. said presser foot having connections for operating a valve controii for the. tempering fluid to supply the same determinate quantity to each stoel; p e, .said fluid applying station and said i. ing means being arranged for copcratin to complete the tempering operation and to render the stock permanently pliable.

y lin testimony whereof, I have Signed my name. to this specification, in the presence ci two subscribing witnesses.

Witnesses WALLAcn C. ldfluturr, C. L. Roenes.

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